This application is based on application No. 2000-242535 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a camera system that handles electronic data, and more particularly, to a camera system having a data recording device that communicates with a camera capable of recording photo-taking data including character data and sound data, as well as image data, and that records the data recorded in the camera in an external recording medium.
A device that uses a memory card comprising a recording medium on which photo-taking data is recorded, and that comprises a camera having a card holder in which the memory card may be housed, has conventionally been proposed. In addition, a camera having a simple detachable rear cover has also been proposed, wherein a separately available rear cover has a data recording device and may be exchanged with the simple rear cover, enabling photo-taking data to be recorded in this data recording device.
However, the above conventional devices have the following problems.
In the former related art, all cameras must have a card holder that houses a memory card, which imposes a burden on the user in terms of size and cost of the camera.
In the latter related art, the mentioned function is achieved by replacing the rear cover of the camera with a rear cover that has a photo-taking data recording device. However, because the configuration of the rear cover of a camera varies from one model to another, the photo-taking data recording device must be designed to fit each model, which entails numerous development processes. In addition, the user also must purchase a rear cover that includes a data recording device for each camera, which is economically burdensome.
An object of the present invention is to provide a camera system with increased applicability.
The present invention provides a camera system having the following construction in order to resolve the technical problems described above.
The camera system comprises a camera and a data recording device that may be detachably mounted to the camera. The camera has a first mounting member to which the photo-taking lens may be detachably mounted, a first communication member that communicates with the photo-taking lens mounted on the first mounting member, and a first recording member that records photo-taking information in a built-in or detachable first recording medium. The data recording device has a second mounting member that may be detachably mounted to the first mounting member of the camera, a second communication member that, when the data recording device is mounted to the first mounting member of the camera via the second mounting member, reads out the photo-taking information recorded in the first recording medium of the camera through communication with the first communication member of the camera, and a second recording member that records the photo-taking information that has been read out by the second communication member in a detachable or built-in second recording medium.
In the above construction, the camera records photo-taking information, such as the captured image data itself, information regarding the captured image (character data representing the shutter speed, aperture and photo-taking lens information, sound data including comments regarding the location or object of the photo-taking, etc.) to the first recording medium via the first recording member. The data recording device may be mounted to and detached from the first mounting member of the camera, on which the photo-taking lens is mounted. When the data recording device is mounted to the camera, it communicates with the camera, reads at least part of the photo-taking information recorded in the first recording medium of the camera, and records it in the second recording medium of the data recording device.
Using the above construction, the data recording device may be used on various types of cameras if the camera is compatible in regard to the first mounting member to which the photo-taking lens is mounted. In addition, because the data recording device uses for its communication with the camera the existing first communication member of the camera that is used for communication with the photo-taking lens, it is not necessary to equip the camera with new signal terminals, offering the advantage of a smaller space requirement and a reduction in the size of the camera.
Therefore, the present invention can provide a camera system with increased applicability.
The present invention also provides a camera system having the following. construction.
The camera system comprises a camera and a data recording device that may be detachably mounted to the camera. The camera has a first mounting member to which the photo-taking lens may be detachably mounted, a first communication member that communicates with the photo-taking lens mounted on the first mounting member, and a first recording member that records photo-taking information in a built-in or detachable first recording medium. The data recording device has a second mounting member that may be detachably mounted to the first mounting member of the camera, a second communication member that, when the data recording device is mounted to the first mounting member of the camera via the second mounting member, reads out the photo-taking information recorded in the first recording medium of the camera through communication with the first communication member of the camera, and a communication member that transmits the photo-taking information read out by the second communication member to a different device via wireless communication.
In the above construction, when the data recording device is mounted to the camera, it communicates with the camera, reads out at least part of the photo-taking information recorded in the first recording medium of the camera, and transmits it to a different device.
Using the above construction, the data recording device may be used on various types of cameras if the camera is compatible in regard to the first mounting member to which the photo-taking lens is mounted. In addition, because the data recording device uses for its communication with the camera the existing first communication member of the camera that is used for communication with the photo-taking lens, it is not necessary to equip the camera with new signal terminals, offering the advantage of smaller space requirements and a reduction in the size of the camera.
Therefore, the present invention can provide a camera system with increased applicability.
In the above construction, the first recording medium may comprise a built-in (integrated) memory member, such as a RAM, or a detachable recording medium.
In the above construction, the second recording medium preferably comprises a detachable semiconductor memory or a detachable recording medium using the magnetic recording method or photomagnetic recording method.
Generally, a recording medium in which data write may be performed at high speed is expensive, but if a high-speed but small-capacity first recording medium and a low-speed but large-capacity second recording medium are used, high-speed processing may be performed during photo-taking, while the second recording medium may be kept low in cost and easy to handle.
The first communication member of the camera preferably communicates with the second communication member of the data recording device using a method different from the method used when it communicates with the photo-taking lens.
Because the amount of information transmitted is different between when the camera communicates with the photo-taking lens and when the camera communicates with the data recording device, by using different communication methods, efficient communication may be obtained in either case.
The camera preferably transmits identification information by which to identify the camera to the second communication member of the data recording device via the first
communication member. The second recording member of the data recording device records the photo-taking information in the second recording medium while associating it with the transmitted identification information. The camera or data recording device has a display member that displays with priority the photo-taking information recorded in the second recording medium and associated with the identification information for the camera to which the data recording device is mounted.
Using the above construction, because the data recording device records the photo-taking information while associating it with the camera identification information, even if the data recording device is used on different multiple cameras, it can separately record the information regarding each camera. The information regarding photo-taking performed by the multiple different cameras and recorded in the data recording device is displayed in the display member of the camera or the data recording device, with priority on the camera to which the data recording device is currently mounted. Consequently, such operations as recording and deletion of the photo-taking information for the camera to which the data recording device is currently mounted and which has the highest frequency of recording and deletion operations in connection with the data recording device may be immediately performed while viewing the display member, offering convenience.
The data recording device preferably has a sound input member by which the sound data input from the sound input member is recorded in the second recording medium via the second recording member.
Using the above construction, sound may be input using the data recording device, and sound data such as comments regarding the location and object of the photo-taking may be recorded. While it is desirable that the data recording device be used on its own, i.e., without being mounted to the camera, it may be used while being mounted to the camera. In addition, the sound input member may be integrated into the data recording device or may be detachably mounted to it. Where the sound input member is detachably mountable, it may be mounted to the second mounting member of the data recording device.
The data recording device preferably has a communication member by which to communicate with other devices via wireless communication.
Using the above construction, the information read out from the first recording medium and the information read out from the second recording medium may be transmitted to different devices, or the information received from a different device may be recorded in the second recording medium. The communication member may be integrated into the data recording device or may be detachably mounted to it. Where the communication member is detachably mountable, it may be mounted to the second mounting member of the data recording device, for example.
It is further preferred that the communication member comprise a communication unit that may be detachably mounted to the data recording device. This communication unit includes a third mounting member by which to mount the communication unit to the second mounting member of the data recording device, and a third communication member that communicates with the second communication member of the data recording device when the communication unit is mounted to the second mounting member of the data recording device via the third mounting member.
The camera preferably has a communication member by which to communicate with other devices via wireless communication.
For example, communication may be performed between cameras having a communication feature, such that (i) the information recorded in one camera may be transmitted to a different camera to which a data recording device is mounted, and (ii) information may be recorded in the data recording device. One data recording device may be shared among multiple cameras, offering convenience.
It is preferred that the size of the data recording device essentially match the diameter of the photo-taking lens mounted to the first mounting member of the camera.
Using the above construction, because the size of the data recording device essentially matches that of the photo-taking lens, it is small and lightweight, and easy to carry. In addition, it is easy to carry the device while it is mounted to a camera. The data recording device offers great portability with a size equivalent to a small photo-taking lens, and may be housed in a camera holder as if it were an integrated part of the camera while being mounted to the camera in place of the photo-taking lens.
The present invention also provides a data recording device used in the camera system of each of the above constructions.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate specific embodiments of the invention.